WISE Jr. Board of Directors - Behind the Scenes
By: Miranda Sakschek, TreeHouse Foods
Throughout 2022, we have featured our WISE Jr. Board of Directors members in our monthly newsletters for our readers to learn more about who each of us are, both personally and professionally, and better understand how WISE has impacted us. However, with all the introductions, we never got the chance to fully share how the Jr. Board got started, what it really is, and how it’s going. So, as the Jr. Board member on the Marketing and Communications Committee, I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands and share just that!
Over the past several years, the WISE Board of Directors has wanted to find a way to recruit younger WISE members from different backgrounds, ethnicities and lifestyles. Yes, WISE membership is growing, including memberships of younger generations as the store brands industry welcomes more and more younger professionals into it. Yet, the Board wanted more. They wanted a targeted recruitment program to create a more age-diverse membership, and they wanted representatives of this younger demographic to help lead the organization’s efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusivity. With the help of many individuals and through countless conversations, the idea of a Jr. Board was brought to life. Seven young professionals in the industry were selected to serve on the initial Jr. Board and partner with the Board to help continue shaping the WISE organization.
Before I dive into what we do on the Jr. Board, I wanted to focus on our Jr. Board Chair, Phyllis Johnson, the Group Director of Brand Development at Catalina USA. Phyllis has not only been our Jr. Board leader, but she has been our advocate, our mentor, and our inspiration to promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the organization. Phyllis has taken leading the Jr. Board by the reigns, and we owe it to her as to why we are here and thriving. I asked Phyllis a few questions to learn more about her and the role she plays within the WISE Jr. Board.
How long have you been a part of WISE, and what has your experience looked like?
I’ve been a part of the WISE organization for three years and I’ve had an awesome experience working with super sharp and passionate women within the organization and in the industry.
What got you interested in joining WISE in the first place?
When I came to work for Catalina as the Senior Director Own Brands, I was looking for an own brand/store brand industry organization to join that provided networking opportunities, in addition to educational opportunities. I knew of WISE and decided to reach out to learn more…and the rest is history.
Why the Jr. Board? What posed your interest in leading the Jr. Board, and what did the process of creating the Jr. Board look like?
I was fortunate to be named one of the Top Women in Store Brands in 2020 and was invited to work with a group of WISE board members who had the vision for a Jr Board. I instantly believed in the vision and saw it as a great opportunity to engage with a younger diverse generation within the store brand industry. I was asked to be the mentor for the Jr. Board, and I basically executed the great plan and roadmap that was created.
What do you feel is the biggest impact the Jr. Board has made on the WISE organization in its first year?
This is one of my favorite things to talk about as the Jr. Board has done a lot of good work this past year. They were immediately tasked with the business challenge of researching and presenting recommendations on “how can the WISE organization attract a younger, diverse generation?” They worked for several months and presented a plan that addressed three key areas: 1) Networking: engage with existing & recruit new members through value-added networking opportunities, 2) Professional Development: be a source for guidance early on in a young professionals’ career and 3) Shared & Lived Experiences: establish an inclusive environment through impactful real-life stories. I am thrilled to say there are plans in the works that address these areas and I can’t wait for our member partners and the store brand industry to participate in the various activities and opportunities. In addition, WISE leverages every opportunity to increase the visibility of the Jr. Board within their events. One of my favorites was seeing two of our Jr. Board members closing out last year’s annual WISE Conference.
What do you think could be the future of the Jr. Board?
I envision the WISE Jr. Board growing its membership, influence and impact within the WISE organization and within the store brand industry. The Jr. Board will be an excellent representation of the unique diversity, talent, and capabilities of the younger generation. There is no limit to what this group can and will do.
Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “what does the Jr. Board actually do?” Each of us represents a WISE committee, and in just the past few months, we have done quite a bit! We kicked off the year by working on a 2022/2023 proposal of initiatives of how we can, as the WISE Junior Board, attract a younger, more-diverse generation. To do just that, we have worked with the Board to organize WISE Connect webinars such as “Reading and Understanding a P&L Statement.” We have planned and are executing a new and improved WISE Jr. Board engagement, recruitment and onboarding process. We have managed WISE’s social media posts and have written monthly articles to complement the WISE World Newsletters. In addition to all of this, we are organizing two upcoming webinars that we will be hosting later this year. And, this just scratches the surface!
Doing all of this has allowed us to work closely with the Board, meet handfuls of leaders within the industry, network, gain professional development and leadership skills, and implement new, innovative ways to grow diversity, equity and inclusivity within this organization and this industry. While that is all truly a quick recap of what we’re done in 2022, we plan to do even more in 2023. Shhhh, I can’t give it ALL away just yet. But trust me, there is more to come!
Being on the Jr. Board of Directors throughout 2022 has been an honor to say the least. I know I can speak for all Jr. Board members when I say it has helped me grow personally and widen my network. It has taught me to share, to create, and to discover. It has taught me to lead. It has given me ALL these nuggets, these tools, these opportunities that I never would have gained elsewhere, and I am so grateful!
If you feel the Jr. Board of Directors may be a good fit for you, or if you know someone who may be interested, we’d love to hear from you. We are soon beginning our recruitment process for January 2023! Jr. Board members must be an employee of a WISE partner member. If your company is not yet a WISE partner, we can help you with information to present to your company management on becoming a member. For questions about the Jr. Board, please contact Phyllis at Phyllis.Johnson@catalina.com.
Also, follow WISE on LinkedIn and subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay in the know!
Thanks for reading!
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Check out our bios here! à https://wisediversity.org/about-us/junior-board-of-directors/